Glasgow Warriors 22 Leinster 19

Match Preview & Report – Match Information

Glasgow Warriors 22 Leinster 19

September 3, 2010 / client

Leinster fell to a disappointing 22-19 defeat in their Magners League opener away to the Glasgow Warriors at Firhill on Friday evening despite leading for long periods of the game…Joe Schmidt Post Match Reaction…

Speaking after the game Leinster Coach Joe Schmidt reflected: “It was certainly a game that got away from us after half time. We’re really disappointed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and it was a case of us making errors which enabled them to keep the pressure on (in the second half).

“There were moments in the game when we had chances; a forward pass that was given which denied us a try. I was really pleased for Dom (Ryan) and I thought he played very well. I didn’t know him before I arrived but he has performed well during pre-season and carried that into tonight. The boys are very frustrated in there and they feel as though they let themselves down. It’s up to us now to take it on the chin and get ourselves in order for next week.”

Leinster began brightly and were rewarded for their early dominance with a sweetly struck Fergus McFadden penalty in the 2nd minute. Glasgow levelled the scores through Ruaridh Jackson two minutes later with a penalty, but the visitors were in the ascendency.

Separate bursts by Eoin O’Malley, skipper Sean O’Brien and the impressive Dominic Ryan threatened to unlock the Warriors’ defence and good work by Jamie Heaslip at the base of a ruck pushed Leinster ahead when an infringement led to McFadden’s second successful kick of the evening after 14 minutes.

Ryan crossed the whitewash on 19 minutes but he was adjudged to have taken the pass in a forward position and though Jackson responded with a difficult penalty four minutes, soon Ryan would get his name on the scoresheet.

A Heaslip break from the back of the lineout found space in Glasgow territory and the supporting Ryan was on hand to out-pace his opposite number Ryan Wilson to touch down for his first try for the province.

Glasgow responded immediately with a spell of pressure, but Leinster’s rearguard remained steadfast and in the 35th minute debutant Isaac Boss scored his side’s second try of the evening when a kick ahead caused panic in the Glasgow backline.

A spilled take on the Warriors line fell into the path of Boss who instinctively pounced on the opportunity to make it 16-6, a lead they held into the break.

Jackson had a chance to reduce Leinster’s lead in the 50th minute but his penalty fell wide. However, he made amends three minutes later to reduce Leinster’s advantage to seven points and Glasgow wing DTH van der Merwe crossed for the home side’s first try on 65 minutes after a spell of pressure, converted from the touchline by sub Duncan Weir.

With the scores level the game could have gone in either direction. Weir’s drop goal on 71 minutes was cancelled out by Nacewa’s superb penalty before a 77th minute Weir penalty sealed the win as Leinster pressed in the closing stages. For the visitors it was too little, too late.